Lake Zaysan

Lake Zaysan is a large lake in eastern Kazakhstan’s East Kazakhstan Region, lying in a broad depression near the foothills of the Altai Mountains. It is one of the major lakes of northeastern Kazakhstan and forms an important regional water body.

The lake basin has been part of regional trade and settlement routes for centuries and has been integrated into modern Kazakh economic activities including fishing and agriculture. Hydrological changes and human management have affected shoreline use over time.

Lake Zaysan sits in the eastern part of Kazakhstan, in the Zaysan Depression of East Kazakhstan Region, east of the central Kazakh plain and west of the Altai foothills, near regional transport corridors linking to other parts of Central Asia.

• Hydrology: The Irtysh River flows through or from the lake region, forming an important local drainage and transport corridor.

• Base yourself in the town of Zaysan on the lake's northern shore for the best combination of services and easy shoreline access-most visitor facilities and fuel are found there.
• Plan visits for late spring through early autumn when roads and local services around the lake are most reliable, and carry a plan for fueling and supplies in Zaysan because services around the lake are limited.